Railway telephone and signal system.



e. E. NEEL. RAILWAY TELEPHONE AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 30, 1915.

* Patented May 9,1916.

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Witnesse 4 h Inventor Kn w/aw Attorneys Witnesse 4 I I 781.7%AM- by I 1 I G. E. NEEL.

RAILWAY TELEPHONE AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 30, 1915- 1 182,029, Patented May 9,1916.

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Inventor Attorneys G. E. NEEL RAILWAY TELEPHONE AN D SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-30, 1915- Patented May 9,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inventor by W Attorneys Witnesses THE COL cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

G. E. NEEL.

RAILWAY TELEPHONE AND SIGNAL SYSTEM. APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT- 30. 1915.

Patented May 9,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

v f V Witnesses 6:2 Inventor 7617M I a Attorneys ran srarns PATEN F GEORGE E. N EEL, 0F ABILE-NE, TEXAS, ASSIG-NOB OF TWENTY-SIX ONE-HUNDREDTHS T0 THOMAS A. RUSSELL AND TWENTY-SIX ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO EGBERT N.

KIRBY, BOTH OF ABILENE, TEXAS, AND TWENTY ONE-I-IUNDREDTHS T0 OSCAR;

CLAPP, or NORTH ROBY, TEXAS.

RAILWAY TELEPHONE AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To aZZ'w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. NEEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Abilene, in the county of Taylor and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Railway Telephone and Signal System, of which the following is a specification;

The present invention is a railway telephone and signal system, and aims to provide a novel and improved apparatus of that character, whereby telephonic communication can be had between a track station and one or more trains within a zone governed by the station, and whereby intertrain communication can also be had, so that the trafiic can be regulated and controlled properly.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a system of the nature indicated, whereby when a train enters a zone governed by the station, the telephone sets of the train and station are automatically" con nected so that telephonic communication between the station and trainis possible, the train having a signal for indicating when the telephone sets are connected, and when another train is within a given distance.

It is also within the scope of the'invention to provide a telephone, and signal system having the above characteristics and which at the same time, is comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction and installation, which will require only a low cost for maintenance, which will have its track. parts located out of the way, and which will be serviceable, practical/and eflicient in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view whichwill appear as the description. proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter, def scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,-wherein:

Figure 1 is diagrammatic view of the system depicting a train within a zone governed by the track station, with the telephone sets of the twoconnected. Fig. 2 is.

a diametrical view of the system, illustrating two'trains having their telephone setsrcon having the brushes applied thereto, this view also, illustrating parts of the track device. Fig. i is a side elevation of the truck and part of the track. Fig. 5 is an elevation of thetrack mechanism for connecting the telephone sets of the train and station. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the track contacts.

In the drawings, there is illustrated a railroad track 1, one rail 2 of which is grounded, as at 3. A. line or series of conductors 4 extend from one end to the other of the protected zone, and have. their ends insulated from one another, and a similar line or series of conductors 5 are disposed in staggered arrangement with respect to the conductors 4, the ends of the conductors 41. being insulated from one another. The conductors 4 and 5 are in overlapped relation', and they are preferably secured to the outer side of the other rail of the track 1 below the head or tread thereof, so as to be out of the way, the conductors 4-5 being insulated from the said rail. The track device also includes a longitudinal series of con- Patented May 9, 1916.

tacts 6, preferably disposed at one side of I the track, and there are a suitable number of contacts 6 for each conductor 4 and .5.

'In practice, the conductors l5 are each a mile or so in length, and the contacts 6 are spaced several feet apart. The contacts 6 are of V-shaped cross section and are arranged transversely of the track, the contacts 6 being bent from plates which have their lower edges provided with outturned flanges '7 secured in any suitable manner upon pads or sheets of insulation 8 secured in any suitable manner upon the ties to insulate the contacts 6 from the rails. alternate contacts 6 are connected by branch conductors 9 with the respective conductors 4 and 5, as clearly evident by referenceto Figs. 1 and 2.

Carried by one truck T of each train trav- The cling in the protected Zone, is a pair of longitudinalbrushes '10 arranged at the opposite sides of the truck, said brushes embodying longitudinal bars 11 having depending metallic bristles 12 to brush over the ridges A telephone set 14 is carriedby each train, I

and one side or terminal thereof is connected by a conductor 15 having branch conductors 16 to the two brushes 10, while the other side or terminal of the telephone set is connected by a conductor 17 with the truck T, the last mentioned side or" the telephone set being connected to ground by way of the truck and rails.

A conductor 18 is terminally connected to the conductors 15 and 17 to provide a shunt, parallel with the telephone set 14, and a battery or other source of electrical energy 19 and-visible signal 20 are interposed in the conductor or shunt 18.

The conductor 18 is equipped with a suitable pole changer 21, whereby the current of battery 19 through the-conductor 18 can be reversed when desired.

Mounted within a casing 22 and supported by a poster standard 23 planted in the soil adjacent each of the conductors 4-5, is an electro-magnet 24 controlling a switch lever 25, fulcrumed, as at 26, within the casing 22, the switch lever having an armature 25 adapted to be attracted by the electromagnet 24 when it is energized. One terminal of the .electromagnet 24 is connected by "a conductor 27 with the respective conduc- Cir tor-4 or 5, which ever is the case, and the other terminal of the electromagnet 24 is connected by a conductor 28 with battery or other source of electrical energy 29. .The' other pole of battery 29 is connected by a conductor 30 with the rail 2. The batteries 29 of the respective conductors 4 and 5 are reversed, as suggested in Fig. 1.

A telephone set 31 is disposed within the station governing the protected zone, and one side or-terminal of the set 31is grounded by a conductor 32, while the other side or terminal of the telephone set 31 is connected by a conductor 33 with a contact 34 cooperable with the switch lever 25. contact 35 which cooperates with the switch lever 25 is connected by a conductor 36 with the respective conductor 4 or 5, which ever is the case. 7 i

In operation, reference being had to Fig. 1, supposing a train has entered the' protected zone with one brush 10 engaging one or more of the contacts 6 of one of the conductors 4, the battery 19 of the train will be connected in series with the battery 29 of the respective conductor 4'. Thus, the bat- A second connecting the telephone sets.

teries 19 and 29 will jointly operate the signal 20 and energize the relay magnet 24, since the conductor 80 is connected to the conductorl'? by way of the rail 2 and'truck T, and the conductor 27 is connected by way of the respective contact 6 and brush 11 with the conductor 15. The partial train carried circuit having the signal 20 is thus connected with the partial track circuit having the electromagnet 24, and the signal 20 will therefore be operated to indicate to the operator or train man, the fact that the electromagnet of the track mechanism is energized. The electromagnet 24 being energized, will attract the armature 25? so as to swing the switch lever. 25 into engagement with the contacts and 35, said lever 25 being normally spaced from said contacts. The telephone sets 14 and 31 are now connected. One side of the telephone set 31 is connected by the conductor 33, contact 34, switch lever 25, contact 35, conductor 36, the respective conductor 4, the respective branch conductor 9, the respective contact 6, brush 10 and conductor 1? with one side of the telephone set 14. The other side of the telephone set 31 is connected with the other side of the telephone set 14 by means of the conductor the like can be given either to the train man or stationfagent. The brushes 10 are of snilicient length in order that they will engage at least three 01" the contacts 6 at the same time, and communication between the station and train can be had even when the train is in motion, since the respective brush 19 will while the train is within the protected zone contact with at least one of the contacts 6 of one of the conductors 4. The resistance otlered by the telephone set 14is suflicient to prevent current from battery 19 flowing through the telephone set 14 and operating the signal 20, and there will therefore be no interference between the signalingand telephoning currents, it being noted that the telephone sets 14 are equipped with batteries as usual, and with ringing or callmg devices.

If the train is traveling in the opposite direction, so that the train device is turned around, which would cause the battery 19 of the train'to oppose the batteries 29 of conductors 4, the battery 19 would 'coopcrate with batteries 29 of conductors 5, to operate the respective electro magnetsfor reason, the batteries 29 of the respective conductors 4 and 5' are reversed, whereby communication may be had between the For this batteries will not oppose or balance each other,

The conductor 17 of one train is connected to the same conductor of the other train by way of the two trucks and traffic rails, and the respective brushes 10 are connected by way of the respective con- 'tacts 6, branch conductors 9 and conductor 5, so that the signals 20 of the twotrains are operated to indicate the condition, whereby the trainmen can properly control their respective trains, or communicate with one another to remedy the condition, since thetelephone sets 14 of the trains are connected. The signals 20 are preferably such that the trainmen can distinguish the fact, by a difference in operation of the signals, when another train is in the same block. Both trains are also in telephonic connnunication with the station for the reasons above indicated, and the station agent can therefore talk with both trainmen,

When it is desired to communicate with a train in rear or infront' traveling in the same direction, the pole changer 21 is operatedt'oreverse the flow of current from the respective battery 19, whereby the battion for operating the signals, as should be readily understood in view of the foregoing.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawings, the advantages and attributes of the present system are believed to be apparent. Attention, however, is directed to the fact that the brush of each train, while the train is, within the pro tected zone, engages the contacts 6 of one conductor land one conductor 5. The contacts 6 being connected to the overlapped conductors 4-5 will eliminate the use of continuous contact rails, and thus cheapen and simplify the track device. The bristles of the brushes in passing over the ridges of the contacts will clean ice, snow and other foreign matter therefrom, whereby a perfeet electrical contact will ensue between the contacts and brush. The contacts being V-shaped will shed rain and other extraneous matter.

riesof contacts connected to the said con ductor, a train carried brush cooperable with said contacts, a train carried telephone set having one side connected to said brush and having its other side grounded, a station telephone set having one side ground ed, and means for connecting the other side of the station telephone set with said conductor'.

2. In a system of the character described, a conductor extending along a track, a series of contacts connected to the said conductor, a train carried brush cooperable with said contacts, a train carried'telephone set having one side connected to said brush and having its other side grounded, a station telephone set having one side grounded, and means for automatically connecting the other side of the station telephone set with said conductor when said brush engages said contacts.

In a system of the character described, a contact device extending along a track, a train carriedvbrush cooperable with the contact device, a train carried telephone set having one side connected to said brush and having its other side grounded, a station telephone set having one side grounded, and means for automatically connecting the other side of the station telephone set with said contact device when said brush engages saidcontact device. 7 V

4:. In a system of the character described,

a, conductor extending along a track, a se- 7 ries of contacts connected to said conductor, a. train carrled brush cooperable with said ing one side connected to said brush and ha ing its other side grounded, a station telephone set having one side grounded, means for automatically connecting the other side of the station telephone set with said conductor when said brush engages said contacts, and a train carried signal operated when said means is operated.

5; In a system'of the character described, a contact device extending along a track, a train carried brush cooperable with the contact device, atrain carried telephone set having one side connected to said brush and having its other side grounded, a station telephone set having one side grounded, means for automatically connecting the other side of the station telephone set with said contact device when said brush engages said contact device, and a train carried sig nal operated when said means is operated.

6. In a system of the character described, a conductor extending along a track and havinga series of contacts connected thereto, a. train carried brush cooperable with contacts, a train carried telephone set havsaid contacts, a train carried telephone set having one side connected to said brush and having its other side grounded to the rails, a train carried conductor connected to said brush and grounded to the rails and having a source of electrical energy and a signal interposed therein, a station telephone set having one side grounded, conductors for connecting the other side of the station telephone set and the first mentioned conductor, a switch for normally disconnecting said conductors, and conductors con nected to the first mentioned conductor and rails and having an electro magnet and bat tery interposed therein, the electro magnet controlling said switch.

7 In a system of the character described, a track contact device extending along the track, a train carried brush cooperable with said contact device, a train carried telephone set having one side connected to the brush and having its other side grounded to the rails, a conductor connected in parallel with said telephone set and having a signal and battery interposed therein, a station telephone set having one side grounded, conductors for connecting the station telephone set and contact device, a switch for connecting said conductors, and conductors connected to said contact device and one rail and having an electro magnet and battery interposed therein, the electro magnet controlling said switch.

8. In a system of the character described,

staggered overlapped conductors extending along a track, a series of contacts connected alternately with the respective conductors of the two lines, a tram carrled brush engageable with the contacts, a train carried telephone set having one side connected to the brush and having its other side grounded, a station telephone set having one side grounded, and means for connecting the other side of the station telephone set with said conductors.

9. In a system of the character described, two lines of conductors disposed in staggered overlapped arrangement along a track, a series of contacts, the alternate contacts being connected with the respective conductors ofthe two lines, a train carried brush engageable with a plurality of the contacts simultaneously, a train carried telephone set having one side connected to the brush and having its other side grounded to the rails, a shunt conductor connected in parallel with said telephone set and having a signal and battery interposed therein, a pole changer for said shunt conductor to reverse the flow of current, an electro magnet and battery connected to each of the first mentioned conductors and one rail, the batteries of the two lines of the first mentioned conductors being reversed, a station telephone set having one side grounded, and means for'connecting the other side of the station telephone set and first mentioned conductors GEORGE E. NEEL. Witnesses:

L. W. CRANsToN, v v ELIJAH R. WILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Iatents,

7 Washington, D. 0. 

